We here at the Teen Ink office hope you are enjoying your summer. If, by chance, you find yourself bored during these sizzling months, Catherine N., a student from Wheaton, IL, offers up 10 ways to entertain yourself.

10. Enjoy the warm weather. Make lemonade and have a picnic at the park, or have a picnic in front of your house and blast the stereo (preferably without annoying the neighbors).

9. Dig out the sports equipment from the garage, get a bunch of friends together, and get active. Play basketball or go biking around the neighborhood.

8. Get creative. Write poetry or a short story, sketch in your backyard, or compose a song. Nature is often inspirational, so take a stroll through your neighborhood and keep your senses alert. For writing prompts to spark your creativity, visit www.WritersDigest.com, or check out the Imagination Prompt Generator and photo writing prompts on www.Creativity-Portal.com (click on “Writing Life”). Another good creativity exercise is to find a quiet place, close your eyes, and meditate. See what comes to your mind.

7. What would summer be without the pool? Challenge your friends to swimming races. Better yet, have water balloon fights in the backyard and spray each other with water guns.

6. Play jokes on your friends. IM them from a strange screen name and insist that you are their best friend, Bob the monkey. See how long it takes you to get blocked.

5. Convince your friends to draw chalk masterpieces on the driveway and play outdoor games like you're seven again. Play hopscotch, capture the flag, and ghost in the graveyard. Go crazy.

4. Check out www.GetAnnoyed.com and look up thousands of ways to annoy people on this hilarious site. Laughs are guaranteed, but beware: actually attempting these methods to annoy people can endanger your safety and reputation. For example, here are a few ways to annoy people at the pool: “Tell the lifeguards that they aren't doing their jobs because you have seen at least 15 people drown today.” “Ask people if they have seen your pet shark.” “When in line, ask strangers if they think invisible people get a discount.”

3. Stop by your bookstore or library and pick up a new book to read. There's nothing like sitting outside on a warm summer day with a book in hand, relaxing in the soothing sunlight and inhaling the fresh air.

2. Use your time to help others. Organize a food drive in your neighborhood, volunteer at a food pantry, volunteer for UNICEF (www.unicefusa.org), or plan a Great American Bake Sale to fight hunger in America (GreatAmericanBakeSale.org).

And the number one way to entertain yourself when bored over the summer . . .

1. Visit www.AlbinoBlackSheep.com and listen to “the llama song.” The song is looped, so if you're ever bored, you could theoretically watch it forever--or, at least, until you're driven insane. Have fun and enjoy your summer!